The happy, happy 'Glee,' a Queen, and a 'Prince'

By Rick Bentley, McClatchy Newspapers

Posted: September 17, 2010

Topping this week's DVD releases are one of TV's most creative new shows and a pair of films about discovering love.

Glee: The Complete First Season, Grade A: Network television's most creative show features endearing characters, great musical numbers, and one of the best TV villains ever in Jane Lynch's Sue Sylvester.

Glee is a rare show that's worth multiple viewings because of the music. If you aren't a member of the Glee club yet, here's your chance.

It always comes down to chemistry with romantic comedies, and this film has it. Queen Latifah has already established her ability to handle light comedy. The surprise is Common. This is his first real acting test, and he scores.

Letters to Juliet, Grade C-minus: An American (Amanda Seyfried) responds to letters to Shakespeare's Juliet seeking advice about love.

Never has falling in love seemed so blah. Director Gary Winick (Bride Wars) dives into the typical romantic-comedy cliches and gets no help from his dull actors.

Screenwriter Jose Rivera (The Motorcycle Diaries) should consider a career in writing greeting cards, given his ability to reduce the complications of human emotion into a simplistic message.

Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time, Grade D-minus: A rogue (Jake Gyllenhaal) teams with a princess to guard a special dagger.

Watching the film must be what it's like to ride a camel across the desert: slow, plodding, and predictable. It gets the job done, but the trip could be more exciting.

Also newly released:

Fringe: The Complete Second Season Anna Torv stars in the first-rate Fox series.

Bored to Death: The Complete First Season A writer (Jason Schwartzman) also works as an unlicensed detective.

The Big Bang Theory: The Complete Third Season Jim Parsons won an Emmy for his work in these episodes.